Unit loading cargo vessel



Nov. 28, 1944. P. LovFALD 2,363,797

` UNIT LOADING CARGO VESSEL Filed Oct. 16, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l "mum INVENTOR Peer wy/a/a ATTORNEY Nov. 28, 1944. P. Lovl-ALD UNIT LOADING CARGO VESSEL Filed Oct. 16, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORN EY Patented Nov. 28 1944 This invention relatesl to improvementsin unit loadingcargo vessels andv in method of handling untloading vof various" types and particularly -it relates to improvementsl in` a multi-purposevessel which mayvbezus'edf for carrying trucks` in peace time and whichywithout any changes, may be used to carryV militaryk andi n'avalequipm'ent such as tanks, guns, supply trucks,` landing equipment, and' mosquito:torpedo-boats'in timefof war.

An important` object. of myL invention is to provideua sea-going' vessel which may be usedA for carrying:loaded4 or` empty trucks,` particularly trailer' trucks, over,greaterdistancessuch as in` coastwise trade; or even inwinternational trade,V

thus` makingmpossible economical shipment by deck 2l)` of the vessel.` However, in special cases whereit'is desired to'also carry mosduito'torpedo boatsplanding boats, pontoonsgorsimilannaval" equipment, the rear endlof the main deck 20, designated with `the numeral 2II is arranged as `al slantingi p1atform inclining down@ tothe water line22.` i i The stern port: I9` furthermore communicates `with a central longitudinal `Well opening of the main deck of the vessel and' running nearly the length of theship` fromfthestern forwardto near y the pilot house 24 aszindicated-inFigs.' `1 and 2,.` The engine` room isA placedunder thejmain deck'` ZI) and the two smoke` stacks 1I5 are located one truck without unloading ,direct from theflactory or production centerto the consumer; I A further-object of;` the` invention is: to provide suitable loading,` and; :unloading arrangements' whereby trucks` andtrailers may be quickl'yplacedY in=thecargospace'ofthe vessel both ondeck and under deck. f 1; i

Still anotherobject of m invention is toprovidea highzspeed` cargovesse'l `suitable for trans- -porting tanks, motorizedartillery, supply trucks,

special landing equipment `as "Well, as i i mosquito torpedo boats in timerot` war.

ported on thestructure 26, run the entire; length of` lthe well 23 from thefirear end of' the stern davits I8 vtoi thefpilothouse `24.` (Dntheserails,` are placed two traveling cranes withA carriages-z 2;I,cabs 28, each having two-:Winches 29, suitable V for loading orunloading products orother equip--` Other objectsfand advantages oi` `myinvention will be apparentduring thecourse of thefollowingdescription: ,i I I In the accompanying drawings, forming'a part of this specification, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure l is a `shear line elevation of a vessel embodying my invention,

`Figure 2 is a deck planwith crane arrangement i of the vessel shown in Figure `l,

Figure 3 is a section along line 3-3 Ain Fig. l, Figure 4 is a section along line 4-4 in Figures 1 and 2, and,`

Figure 5is a section along line 5-5 in Figures 1 and 2.

, In the drawings, wherein forthe purpose of illustration, is shown a preferred embodimentl of my invention, the numeral I0 designates the bow part of the hull I I `with the keel I2, propeller I3, rudder I4, smoke stacks I5, mast I6 and I 1, etc. The hull II is that of an ordinary vessel except for the'stern which is specially formed to provide two overhanging davits I8,` whichare in eiect overhanging stern projections forming an` extension of `the hull, and a large` stern` port I9,` The stern port I9 is preferably ar` see Fig. 3. `ranged to communicate directly with the main follows:

ment 30 oil 0r on to-aydock3l fas indicated in` `Two structures 32 eachcarry a set of trans-z verse rails 33, carrying craneswithgcarriages-M and winches35 for` transversemovement of the load,seelig.`5.` i The main deck 20 `is provided withv hatches? 36,4 along `the well 23;,2 These hatches `36V maybe opened and the unit loads` 30` maytbelowered to:

ithe lowerdecklS'L@ f'lhe lower, deck 311 alsohasl, hatches 38` giving access to the bottom hold of the vessel whereunit desired, see Fig. 5; j

The operation of `my invention is briey as loads 39 may be placed if Loading and `,unloading of unit loads such as trailer trucks or other commercial motor vehicles in peace time and A motorized artillery, landing pontoons, landing boats, `or mosquito torpedo boats in time of war is accomplished by moving these loads iongitudinany through the @entrai y well 23` of the vessel by means of longitudinally traveling cranes 23. `When these unitloads are taken to the dock and placed on the deck by the longitudinally travelingcranes the loads 30 may be moved into final position in a transverse directionby the transverse cranes 35 on the upper deck; On the lower deck and main deck trans-` verse movement may be effected by special rails and flat cars or trucks if necessary. `By the use of this specially constructedship and special equipment it is possible to quickly load and unload a cargo and by making the ship a high speed seavgoing type it is possible to quickly transport s cient to gather and subsequently deliver the trailers transported by the vessel. The number of cabs and drivers will furthermore be greatly reduced because the average trips will be very short and no interstate licenses or linterstate restrictions on drivers hours will be in effect. The trucks may, therefore, be driven by one driver as required by long-haul interstate trafc. By

-using high speed vessels express traic between remote parts of the country is possible with greatly 'reduced shipping/,time as compared to ordinary freight by rail.

Another veryimportant feature of the operation of thepresent invention is to be found in the factthat the same ships'which are used in peace time as described above may be used in war time to carry tanks, artillery, pontoons, for landing, landing boats, or'even a fleet of mosquito torpedo boats. This is especially valuable in the case of mosquito torpedo bo'ats which have normally very short rangey of operation. By the use oi c'arriers or mother ships of the type described the action radius of these mosquito torpedo boats will be extended to anything desired and the carrier may follow the eet for attacks at distant points. The carrier is particularly suited for landing of troops and mechanized equipment on distant shores. By anchoring at a suitable distance from shore with the stern pointing toward land a simple pontoon bridge may be quickly placed on which all kinds oflmilitary equipment may be landed. The special stern davits I8 and the traveling crane29 makes it possible to launch mosquito torpedo boats in open sea and at full speed. It is also possible to pick up these boats and stove them back into the hold in open sea and undersp'eed. y f

It is to/be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described, is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and

that various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention or thelocated over said passageway, said cranes being motor driven and arranged for travel longitudinally on said rails over said passage way,

whereby loads may be carried from the rear end of the said stern davits forward through said passage way and a plurality of transversally operated traveling cranes located over said passage way on rails supported on a steel structure traversing the vessel transversally, said rails and said steel structure being located on a higher level `than said longitudinal rails on both sides of said central passage way, whereby unit loads may be stowed sidewise in said vessel.

2. A vessel for truck and unit load transportation comprising a hull, said hull having a pair of stern davits as an integral part of same; a special stern port, normally open to the main deck of vsaid hull; a central passage way communicating with the stern port and running longitudinally along the entire main deckof the vessel; a pair of crane rails lmounted one on each'side of said passage way and above same, said rails extending rearward to the end of said stern davits overhanging the stern of said vessel; la steel structure built transversally upon the upper deck of said vessel, said structure extending across t the entire width of said vessel above said longitudinal crane; a pair of rails mounted on said 

